Emily Scarratt taking steps to secure England’s place in World Cup semi-finals

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Scarratt only found out she would be kicking on the eve of the tournamentJordan Mansfield / Getty Images

Daniel Schofield

Published at 12:01AM, August 9 2014

Like any other rugby-playing teenager of the time, Emily Scarratt vividly
remembers watching the 2003 World Cup, captivated by the sight of Jonny
Wilkinson, in full praying mantis mode, kicking England to glory. Eleven
years on, that responsibility belongs to Scarratt as England’s women look to
gain a place in the World Cup semi-finals today by beating Canada in their
final pool A match.

Not that Scarratt is a slavish imitator of Wilkinson — as a centre she was
more of a Will Greenwood fan anyway — but she has developed her own
idiosyncratic routine before each kick. “It is automatic now,”